“What’s worth trying?”
The barista’s lips quirked into a knowing smile. “Depends. Are we fighting demons today, or making peace with them?”
A laugh slipped out before she could stop it. “Peace. For now.”
“Lavender Latte it is. Trust me. It’s our claim to fame.”
“Perfect. I’ve always had a thing for lavender.”
The barista returned with a wide ceramic mug, foam sculpted into delicate petals catching the light like fleeting promises.
Arden claimed a corner table, back to the wall, both exits in view, and set her laptop beside the steaming drink.
The first sip surprised her: lavender threading through dark espresso like twilight weaving through storm clouds. Unexpected. Gentle.
This kind of peace felt dangerous. Too perfect. A reminder that she could find moments like this, even with shadows trailing her steps, thin as a veil.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard: deliberate, precise. She didn’t need to look. Perfection lived in muscle memory.
tactical defense training near me
Search results populated the screen in a scattered barrage: glowing reviews, cautionary tales about cash-grab dojos, red flags dressed as certifications.
She filtered them methodically, saving only what met her standards, mentally organizing next steps. The shop’s gentle hum receded, fading into the background as her focus narrowed to the task ahead.
Penny burst in, a confetti bomb in motion, shopping bag swinging from her wrist. Her arrival obliterated the quiet in a way that was both predictable and jarring.
“Found you!” she declared, dropping into the chair across from Arden with theatrical flair. “And here I thought you were off orchestrating world domination.”
Arden’s lips curved. “I’m researching classes.”
Penny eyed the artisanal latte with mock suspicion. “Well, look at you going full hipster. Never figured you for the fancy coffee type.”
“Neither did I,” she murmured, wrapping both hands around the mug like it might keep her from saying too much.
Penny leaned in, unabashed as ever, eyes scanning the screen. Her brow furrowed. “Krav Maga? Should I be worried about your secret identity?”
Arden shook her head, closing the laptop. “I like being prepared.”
Something flickered behind Penny’s bright expression. The spark dimmed into something softer.
“Fair enough.”
She grabbed a sugar packet and quickly tore it open. “But don’t forget to make time for this too, okay?” She nodded at the coffee, the low buzz of conversation, the simple act of being here. “Even badasses need coffee breaks with their friends.”
Arden arched a brow. “And you’ve nominated yourself for the position?”
“Obviously.” Penny beamed with certainty.
Arden let that warmth settle, Penny’s conviction wrapping around her like sunlight through glass. Just for a moment.
?
The boutique assaulted the senses: a riot of texture and gleaming fabric that set Penny free, an unleashed force of nature. She darted between racks, arms loaded with a geology of fashion: sequined blazers, crystalline sunglasses, scarves that rippled like metallic waves.
Arden drifted in her wake, hands in her pockets, cataloging exits and sightlines without thinking. She hadn’t planned to buy anything. She wasn’t even sure why she’d said yes.
Until…
